First of all, I would like to share an excerpt from an interview with Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi -

BB: Any language, I have found, has an underlying conceptual scheme built into it by the metaphors that govern its vocabulary and by the connotations and nuances of its words. Thus in translating from one language into another, one is always faced with the problem of dissonance between their two underlying conceptual schemes. This leads to conflicts that often can only be resolved by sacrificing important conceptual connections in the original language for the sake of elegance or intelligibility in the target language. This problem becomes all the more acute when one is translating from an ancient language utilizing a somewhat archaic set of conceptual metaphors into a modern language pertaining to a very different culture.

We can see this problem in some of the simplest Pali words. For instance, the word samadhi can be translated as “concentration, composure, collectedness, mental unification, etc.,” but none of these renderings convey the idea that samadhi denotes a specific meditative state, or set of meditative states, in the Buddhist (and broader Indian) system of spiritual cultivation. Even the word sati, rendered mindfulness, isn’t unproblematic. The word derives from a verb, sarati, meaning “to remember,” and occasionally in Pali sati is still explained in a way that connects it with the idea of memory. But when it is used in relation to meditation practice, we have no word in English that precisely captures what it refers to. An early translator cleverly drew upon the word mindfulness, which is not even in my dictionary. This has served its role admirably, but it does not preserve the connection with memory, sometimes needed to make sense of a passage.

Satipatthana is often translated “foundation of mindfulness,” which sounds elegant; but if one knows Pali one might suspect that the compound represents not sati + patthana (which gives us “foundation of mindfulness”), but sati + upatthana, “establishment of mindfulness” (the u dropping off through union of vowels). Then, if one knows the texts in the original, one will have encountered a number of phrases that pair sati with words related to upatthana, such as upatthitassati, “one with mindfulness established,” but no other phrases that pair it with forms related to patthana. And this would confirm the case for “establishment of mindfulness” over “foundation of mindfulness.” However more graceful the latter might sound, the accent is on the internal process of setting mindfulness up rather than on the object to which it applies.

The famous Satipatthana sutta explains one aspect of practice - the ways of establishing remembrance (sati). Bhikkhunupassaya sutta, from Satipatthana Samyutta, gives a real-life description, which incorporates multiple aspects - indicators to be observed, efforts to be applied, etc. Here's a text of this sutta with the translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi (who translates 'nimitta' as 'sign'):

It may be expected of anyone, Ananda—whether bhikkhu or bhikkhuni—who dwells with a mind well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, that such a one will perceive successively loftier stages of distinction.

"What four? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he is contemplating the body in the body, there arises in him, based on the body, either a fever in the body or sluggishness of mind, or the mind is distracted outwardly.

When the mind is uplifted by rapture, the body becomes tranquil. One tranquil in body experiences happiness. The mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. He reflects thus: 'The purpose for the sake of which I directed my mind has been achieved. Let me now withdraw it.' So he withdraws the mind and does not think or examine. He understands: 'Without thought and examination, internally mindful, I am happy.'

"Again, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating feelings in feelings ... mind in mind ... phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. While he is contemplating phenomena in phenomena, there arises in him, based on phenomena, either a fever in the body or sluggishness of mind, or the mind is distracted outwardly. That bhikkhu should then direct his mind towards some inspiring sign. When he directs his mind towards some inspiring sign ... He understands: 'Without thought and examination, internally mindful, I am happy.'

"And how, Ananda, is there development without direction?Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands:'My mind is not directed outwardly.' Then he understands:'It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.'149 Then he further understands: I dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.'

"Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands:'My mind is not directed outwardly.' Then he understands:'It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.' Then he further understands:'I dwell contemplating feelings in feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.'

"Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands:'My mind is not directed outwardly.' Then he understands:'It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.' Then he further understands:'I dwell contemplating mind in mind, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.'

"Not directing his mind outwardly, a bhikkhu understands:'My mind is not directed outwardly.' Then he understands:'It is unconstricted after and before, liberated, undirected.' Then he further understands:'I dwell contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful; I am happy.'

Evaṃ kho, ānanda, appaṇidhāya bhāvanā hoti.

"It is in this way, Ananda, that there is development without direction.

Last edited by Dmytro on Sun Sep 16, 2012 4:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

- bodily excitation (kāyasmiṃ pariḷāho) or tension (the absence of passaddhi) - (body as the first way of establishing remembrance);

- the absence of non-carnal pīti and sukha - (feelings as the second way of establishing remembrance);

- sluggishness of will (cetaso līnattaṃ), distraction of mind outward (bahiddhā cittaṃ vikkhipati), constricted state of mind (saṃkhitta citta) - (mind as a third way of establishing remembrance);

After the discrimination of mental qualities (dhamma-vicaya), meditator develops the next factor of Awakening, vīriya (effort), and as described in the extended explanation of four right efforts, the essential instrument here is the (re)direction of attention from inappropriate perceptual images (nimitta) to appropriate ones:

As described in Titthiya sutta, the key prerequisite of unskilful qualities in unfundamental attention (ayoniso manasikara). And according to Samudaya sutta, mental qualities arise and cease, conditioned by attention:

So, as described in Bhikkhunupassaya sutta, the meditator redirects his attention, with such two options:

- to redirect his attention to the inspiring perceptual image (pasādanīye nimitte) - the ways of redirecting attention are dealt with in more detail in Ahara sutta;

- or to make the mind altogether undirected (appaṇihita). This resonates with making the mind not supported by anything (anissita) from the refrain of Satipatthana sutta (Yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati), and refers to the advanced stage of practice.

Having applied the efforts of redirecting attention, he makes note of the skilful mental qualities by such indicators:

- bodily relaxation (passaddhakāyo) - (body as the first way of establishing remembrance);

"There is the case where the Teacher — out of sympathy, seeking their well-being — teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: 'This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.' His disciples do not listen or lend ear or apply their minds to gnosis. Turning aside, they stray from the Teacher's message. In this case the Tathagata is not satisfied nor is he sensitive to satisfaction, yet he remains untroubled, mindful, & alert. This is the first frame of reference that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group.

"Furthermore, there is the case where the Teacher — out of sympathy, seeking their well-being — teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: 'This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.' Some of his disciples do not listen or lend ear or apply their minds to gnosis. Turning aside, they stray from the Teacher's message. But some of his disciples listen, lend ear, & apply their minds to gnosis. They do not turn aside or stray from the Teacher's message. In this case the Tathagata is not satisfied nor is he sensitive to satisfaction; at the same time he is not dissatisfied nor is he sensitive to dissatisfaction. Free from both satisfaction & dissatisfaction, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert. This is the second frame of reference...

"Furthermore, there is the case where the Teacher — out of sympathy, seeking their well-being — teaches the Dhamma to his disciples: 'This is for your well-being, this is for your happiness.' His disciples listen, lend ear, & apply their minds to gnosis. They do not turn aside or stray from the Teacher's message. In this case the Tathagata is satisfied and is sensitive to satisfaction, yet he remains untroubled, mindful, & alert. This is the third frame of reference that a noble one cultivates, cultivating which he is a teacher fit to instruct a group.

"An important term for meditative absorption is samadhi. We often translate that as concentration, but that can suggest a certain stiffness. Perhaps unification is a better rendition, as samadhi means to bring together. Deep samadhi isn't at all stiff. It's a process of letting go of other things and coming to a unified experience." - Bhikkhu Anālayo

It really is no easy to find one expression for sati (sarati), because the process itself actually involves both, to remember doing it and to bring up attention. Maybe to recollect attention, maybe "recollect having close attention at".

Last edited by mirco on Sat Apr 30, 2016 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

"An important term for meditative absorption is samadhi. We often translate that as concentration, but that can suggest a certain stiffness. Perhaps unification is a better rendition, as samadhi means to bring together. Deep samadhi isn't at all stiff. It's a process of letting go of other things and coming to a unified experience." - Bhikkhu Anālayo

SarathW wrote:In Sinhalease (Sri Lankan) upatthana mean attending to a sick person (or attending to an elderly or a King). To me Sathpatthana mean attending to the sick mind.

That is far fetched and strongly biased. Upaṭṭhāna may have gone through a change in use and meaning, depending on time and region.

"An important term for meditative absorption is samadhi. We often translate that as concentration, but that can suggest a certain stiffness. Perhaps unification is a better rendition, as samadhi means to bring together. Deep samadhi isn't at all stiff. It's a process of letting go of other things and coming to a unified experience." - Bhikkhu Anālayo